Four Galway players are involved in the Ireland squad for this Saturday’s Rugby World Cup warm up against Canada in Affidea Stadium, Belfast (9th August 2025).
Head coach Scott Bemand makes 10 changes but keeps Ballinasloe’s Beibhinn Parsons and Creggs’ Ivana Kiripati, while Ballinasloe’s Aoibheann Reilly is scrum half, and Kilconly’s Cliodhna Moloney is on the bench. Connacht's Anna McGann is also named on the wing.
Neve Jones will Co-Captain the side with Sam Monaghan who starts this week on the bench.
In the pack, Niamh O’Dowd and Linda Djougang join Jones in the front row. Fiona Tuite and Ruth Campbell make up the engine room and last week’s backrow of Grace Moore, Ivana Kiripati and Brittany Hogan remains unchanged.
In the backs Aoibheann Reilly starts at scrum half with Dannah O’Brien again at out half. Enya Breen partners Aoife Dalton in the centre with Anna McGann and Béibhinn Parsons on the wings.
Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Ellena Perry, Sadhbh McGrath, Eimear Corri-Fallon, Monaghan and Claire Boles are the forwards available to Bemand and his Coaching Team on a strong bench, with backs Emily Lane and Eve Higgins completing Ireland’s 23.
Speaking about the team selection, Bemand says: “Having another opportunity to test ourselves is essential in the run up to the Rugby World Cup and we know Canada will provide us with a really strong test. Last week we fought back hard from conceding early tries and we know we will need to start stronger this week. There is a lot at stake with the squad for the Rugby World Cup being announced early next week.”
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*Affidea Stadium is the new name for what was formerly known as Kingspan Stadium.
Ireland v Canada will be streamed for free on IrishRugby+ in the Republic of Ireland.
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Ireland Women’s team to face Scotland
**denotes uncapped
15 Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC / Leinster) (19)
14 Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College / Connacht) (27)
13 Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere /Leinster) (23)
12 Enya Breen (Blackrock College / Munster) (30)
11 Anna McGann (Railway Union / Connacht) (10)
10 Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere /Leinster) (25)
9 Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College / Connacht) (15)
1 Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere /Leinster) (16)
2 Neve Jones (Co-Captain) Gloucester Hartpury (36)
3 Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere /Leinster) (47)
4 Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere /Leinster) (7)
5 Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere /Ulster) (16)
6 Grace Moore (Trailfinders / IQ Rugby) (21)
7 Ivana Kiripati (Creggs / Connacht) (1)
8 Brittany Hogan (Vice Captain) (Old Belvedere /Ulster) (33)
Replacements:
16 Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs) (44)
17 Ellena Perry (Gloucester Hartpury / IQ Rugby)**
18 Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke / Ulster) (15)
19 Eimear Corri Fallon (Blackrock College / Leinster) (5)
20 Sam Monaghan (Co-Captain) (Gloucester Hartpury / IQ Rugby) (22)
21 Claire Boles (Railway Union / Ulster) (5)
22 Emily Lane (Blackrock College / Ulster) (16)
23 Eve Higgins (Railway Union / Leinster) (27)
